Chalk-line holder.



G. LAUT.

CHALK LINE HOLDER.

APPLICATION mum 11:12.15, 1911.

1,004,?43, r Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

FIG. 4-.

WITNESSES: I VE-N'TOL ls TTORJ'EY? COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAF" $0., WM

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

GEORGE LAU'IE,v 0E EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN. ASSIGNOR 0E ONE-HALF T0 GEORGE. B. MILLER, OF EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN.

CHALK-LINE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26,. 1911.

To: all' whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LAU'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eau Claire, in the county of Eau Claire and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Chalk-Line Holder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to chalk-line holders, and the object is to provide an eflicient device for holding and chalking the string or cord used by carpenters and others for marking straight lines.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my chalk-line holding and chalkin device, shown as held in the left hand 0 the operator. Fig; 2 is a top view of the device shown in F ig'. 1, with the chalk line omitted and the handle of the device broken away. Fig. 3 is a bottom end view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the chalk-line omitted. Fig. 4 is a diametrical section on the line a0; Fig. 2, except that the chalk and the plate and spring supporting it are intact. Fig. 5 is a top view of the chalk receptacle or holder with the chalk removed. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail View of the cam shaft by which the chalk receptacle may be uncoupled from the shaft of the drum on which the line is wound.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, a hollow body forms an upper cylindrical chamber 1 and a lower semicylindrical chamber 2; said body is provided with a side handle 3 having a groove 4 (best shown in Fig. 3). The top of the upper chamber is closed by a cover 5, which is hinged at 6, near, or in the present instance to the upper end of the handle; the front edge of the cover is held closed by a spring arm 7, having an aperture going upon a peg 8 at the front of the chamber. From front to rear of the cover is a diametrical slot 9, whose edges 10 are bent upward. The cover has a circular downward rim 11, (see Fig. 4) guidingly fitting inside the upper end of the upper chamber. In said rim are formed notches 12 as deep as the ends 13 of the slot- 9, and the notches 14 in the body; all of which notches are to permit the chalk-line 15, when placed as at the top of Fig.1, to get-freely in contact with the top of the chalk 16, as will presently be more fully described.

The chalk 16 rests upon a plate 17, which may have burs 18 to assist in rotating the chalk. The plate 17 is supported on a spring 19,.whieh1 rests upon the bottom 20 of a receptacle 21, in which: said spring, plate and chalk are contained. The receptacle is. of polygonal form, as shown at 22 in Figs. 2 and 5, and the chalk 16 is of corresponding contour, so as to insure its rotation with: the receptacle.

23 and 24 are externalperipheric ribs on the receptacle to guide it centrally in: the chamber, so it will clear the rim ll of the cover, and also that an. angular socket 25 in the bottom 20 of the receptacle may meet and receive the upper angular end 26 of a shaft 27, which is journaled in the bottoms 28 and 29* of the two chambers and providedat its lower end with a crank 30. On said shaft 27 is secured a drum 31, on which the chalk-line 15 is wound, as shown at 15 in Fig. 1.. J ournaled in the sides of the upper chamber, near above the bottom 28, is a shaft 32, having at one end a rocker arm 34 and near the middle a cam 33-, (see Figs. 2 and 6).

In the operation of the device, if the. line is to be wound on the drum 31, the operator grasps the device in the left hand, about as shown in Fig. 1, and after turning the cam 33 up under the bottom 20 of the chalkreceptacle, so as to uneouple the same from the head or top 26 of the shaft 27, he turns the crank 30 with the right hand while guiding the line between his fingers of the left hand, as at 15 in Fig. 1.. And when the line is to be chalked and used, the camshaft is turned down fiat upon the bottom 28, so as to permit the socket 25 to engage the upper end of the shaft 27 the operator then holds the handle 3 in one hand and with the other hand he secures the loop 15 of the line to a peg, nail or'other point, and after placing the line in the groove of the handle 3, and in the slot in the cover, between the flanges '10, he walks until the desired length. of line has been unwound and chalked by passing in contact with the top of the chalk, while the latter is rotated by the unwinding rotation of the drum 31. The chalked line is then applied in the usual manner for marking with such lines, and the line is again wound on the drum in the manner already stated.

The under side of the cover 5 regulates the upward tendency given to the chalk by the spring 19. Then the chalk is worn thin and may break into pieces, or if pieces of chalk are used, the polygonal form of the receptacle will still carry the chalk pieces along in the rotating movement and make themserve until they are so well worn out that there will be no waste of chalk to say of. By opening the cover 5 a new supply of chalk may be inserted whenever required.

What I claim is:

1. A chalk-line holder comprising a hollow body composing a cylindrical chalk chamber and a semicylindrical drum chamber, a fixed partition between the two chambers; the chalk chamber having a hinged cover and means for holding the same closed, said cover having a downward rim near the wall of the chamber and a diametrical open slot across the cover and partly into the rim, a chalk receptacle having a solid bottom and external means to guide it centrally in the chalk chamber, a spring supported upon the solid bottom, a plate supported by the spring and adapted to support a piece of chalk placed in the receptacle against the slotted cover, a coupling member at the lower side of the bottom of the chalk receptacle, a shaft journaled in the drum chamber, a crank at the outer end thereof, a coupling member at the inner end thereof and adapted to engage the first mentioned coupling member; a drum fixed on the shaft, a line wound on the drum and having its outer end extended outward through the large side-opening of the semicylinder, and open guiding means for guiding the line from said large opening to and along in the slot in the cover.

2. A chalkline-holder comprising a hollow body composing a cylindrical chalk chamber and a semicylindrical drum cham ber, a fixed partition between the two chambers; the chalk chamber having a hinged cover and means for holding the same closed, said cover having a downward rim near the wall of the chamber and a diametrical open slot across the cover and partly into the rim, a chalk receptacle having a solid bottom and external means to guide it centrally in the I chalk chamber, a spring supported upon the solid bottom, a plate supported by the spring and adapted to support a piece of chalk placed in the receptacle against the slotted cover, a coupling member at the lower side of the botton of the chalk receptacle, a shaft journaled in the drum chamber, a crank at the outer end thereof, a coupling member at the inner end thereof and adapted to engage the first-mentioned coupling member; a drum fixed on the shaft, a line wound on the drum and having its outer end extended out- Ward through the large side-opening of the semicylinder, and open guiding means for guiding the line from said large opening to and along in the slot in the cover; a cam shaft journaled in the sides of the hollow body and having a cam arranged to engage under the bottom of the chalk-receptacle and by a partial rotation of the cam-shaft uncouple the receptacle from the crank-shaft when so desired.

8. A chalkline-holder comprising a hollow body composing a cylindrical chalk chamber and a semicylindrical drum chamber, a fixed partition between the two chambers; the chalk chamber having a hinged cover and means for holding the same closed, said cover havin a downward rim near the wall of the chamdoer and a diametrical open slot across the cover and partly into the rim, a chalk receptacle having a solid bottom and external means to guide it centrally in the chalk chamber, a spring supported on the solid bottom, a plate supported by the spring I the hollow body provided with an open groove for the line, and flanges on the cover,

one at each side of the slot.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE LAUT,

Witnesses Dona LEWIN, ALMA LIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

